Apparatus for fabricating filament webs



Nov. 10, 1964 R. WELLMAN APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING FILAMENT WEBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec." 22, 1960 III INVENTOR LESTER R.WELLMAN BY m QQTB RN EYS.

Nov. 10, 1964 R. WELLMAN 3,156,027

APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING FILAMENT WEBS Filed Dec. 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LE STER R .WELLMAN wmvmmwa ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 10, 1964 R. WELLMAN APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING FILAMENT WEBS Filed Dec. 22, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

LESTER R.WELLMAN ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,156 027 APlARATUS FOR FABRICATHNG FILAMENT WEBS Lester R. Wellman, 110 Lakewood. Place, Highland Park, ill. Filed Dec. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 77,723 6 Claims. (Cl. 28-4) This invention relates to improvements in the art of filament web fabrication, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for and method of forming webs of suitable filaments or threads for various purposes such as reinforcement, decoration, or as an intermediate step in a production.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for and method of forming webs of filaments or threads, especially related to the reinforcement, decoration or production of sheet material such as paper, plastics, cloth, metal foil, or the like, and/ or combinations thereof.

Although the invention is not to be limited thereto, one particular field of utility is in connection with the formation of filament webs for the reinforcement of sheet material such as gnmmed tape wherein a coating of adhesive is applied to a surface of the paper or sheet material and the filaments or threads are continuously laid onto the gummed surface of the sheet material for imbedding therein in a desired pattern or extent.

With the above in mind it is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for and method of continuously forming filament or thread webs, at high speeds and adaptable to supplemental commercial machinery.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for forming webs of filaments or threads wherein the angularity and spacing of the deposited filaments or threads may be varied.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for and method of forming webs of filaments or threads wherein a plurality of separate threads or filaments from bobbins or creels are threaded in properly spaced relationship between the plys of a compound or bi-layered advancing primary tensioner belt, which belt travels through a circuitous path to extend the engaged strands from the bobbins and then transfer the engaged filaments or threads to a bi-layered traverse clamping belt traveling at a desired angle relative to and across the area on which the web is formed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for forming filament webs which automatically main tains the preselected spacing of the threads or filaments without the use of guides, grommets or conventional spacing devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for and method of forming webs of filaments or threads which is automatic in operation, which is expeditious and economical in operation, which is adaptable to commercial sheet feeding machinery, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved apparatus for and method of forming webs of filaments, and its parts, combinations and steps as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the improved filament web forming machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an end View taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a semi-schematic perspective view of the improved filament web-forming machine with portions, including the frame, omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4, with the addition of fragments of threads shown clamped between the layers of the belt;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a piece of gummed tape showing a surface thereof reinforced by a Web of filaments applied thereto pursuant to the present invention in pro-selected pattern;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail sectional View taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the chains showing threads guided therethrough.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings it will be observed that the numeral 10 indicates a flat base member on which the elements of the apparatus are mounted and supported. At one end portion of the base, intermediate its side margins is an upstanding post 11 which rigidly carries at its upper end an eccentrically shaped frame 12 which extends diagonally of the base 10 and is inclined downwardly toward the outer end of the base (the righthand end in FIGS. 1 and 2). The frame has revolubly mounted therein, toward its inner end (the lefthand end in FIGS. 1 and 2), a shaft 13 on which end is mounted a belt-carrying sheave 14. Also mounted on the shaft 13 and connected with the sheave 14 so as to turn it, is a sprocket 15 drivingly engaged by an endless link chain 16. Toward the forward or outer end of the base 10 there is an upstanding post 17 (see FIG. 1) which is relatively short and which has journalled therein a shaft 18 which carries a sheave 19 and a sprocket 20, the latter being connected with the sheave 19 so as to turn it, and said sprocket 20 also being engaged by the endless chain 16. A bi-layered primary tensioner belt 21, shown in detail in FIG. 5 with plys 21a and 21b, and of endless form, is trained about the separated sheaves 14 and 19. The means for positively driving the sprocket 20 and the sprocket 15, through the chain 16, will be described hereinafter, but at this point it may be stated that when the machine is in operation the bi-layered primary belt 21 is positively driven through an ovate path in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1.

The numeral 22 designates a bobbin holder or creel of any desired form conventional in the industry and merely by way of illustration the holder 22 is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 as supporting a plurality of bobbins or spools 23 in spaced apart relation, each of which has wound thereon a suitable supply of a thread or filament of a suitable material. At the outset of the operation of the machine the threads or filaments from the spools 23 are separately and spacedly guided by a member 23' and from thence to a suitably supported auxiliary guide 23" shown in FIG. 4, and which is optional. Outer extents of the threads are directed through any spaced apertured portions of longitudinally spaced links in the upper flight of the endless chain 16, as for instance the tubular transverse connecting pins 101 thereof, shown in FIG. 8. The guided threads are then clamped in spaced relation between the plys of the primary pressure belt 21 (see FIG. 4), being maintained in clamped condition by any suitable pressure means acting on the belt 21, and by way of an example there is illustrated in the drawing a pressure member 24 supported from the base and having an extent which engages the top flight 21a of the primary belt 21, except at its extremities. A similar pressure member 24' engages the lower flight 21b of the primary belt.

Rotatably mounted through the post 11 is a shaft 25 which carries an intermediate sheave 26. Also the upper inner end portion of the eccentrically shaped frame 12 has rotatably mounted therein a shaft 27 on which is mounted a sheave 28. The lower outer end of the frame 12 carries a driven shaft 29 on the outer end portion of which is a sprocket 3t) engaged and driven by an endless chain 31. The numeral 32 designates an electric motor whose driven shaft 33 carries a sprocket 34 also engaged by the endless chain 31. Hence, power for the operation of certain of the moving parts of the assemblage is derived from the electric motor 32 and transmitted to the shaft 29 by the chain 31. Fast on the shaft 29 so as to turn therewith is another sheave 35 about which extends an endless bilayered traverse belt 36. It will best be observed from FIG. 1 that the inner layer or ply 36' of the bi-layered traverse belt is separated from the outer layer or ply 36" of said traverse belt and extends around the intermediate sheave 26 while the outer ply or layer 36 of said traverse belt, after being separated from the layer 36, extends around the sheave 28. A suitably supported elongated pressure member 37 engages the upper fiight of the traverse belt 36, between the intermediate sheave 26 and the sheave 35, to maintain clamping engagement with the ends of threads or filaments interposed between the plies of said belt, as will appear hereinafter.

Although the assemblage of the present invention has a much broader field of utility and is generally intended to form webs of filaments or threads, for purposes of illustration there is shown an arrangement for depositing the filament webs on the gummed surface of an elongated sheet of paper 40 which is extended from a source (not shown) about a roller 39, the sheet material 46 then being continued outwardly (toward the right relative to FIGS. 2 and 4) with its gummed surface uppermost. Merely by way of illustration, the roller 39 is shown as being formed with reduced shaft ends 39 at its opposite end portions which are journalled in supporting bearings 41. If it is desired to positively drive the roller 39, one of the shaft ends may carry fast thereon a sprocket 42 engaged by an endless chain 43 which extends to a source of power (not shown). The numeral 44 designates an idler roller over which the extended sheet 4% passes. In peripheral contact with a surface portion of the roller 39 beyond the margin of the sheet 40 closest to the belt 21 is a movable cutter 54 of a type conventional in the industry driven by a shaft 45 connected with a source of power (not shown). The end of the roller 39 adjacent the opposite margin of the sheet 40 also carries a similar cutter assembly (omitted from FIGS. 2 and 4 for the sake of clarity). As will appear hereinafter, as the threads or filaments stretched between the belts 36 and 21 reach the gummed surface of the extended sheet 4% and are deposited thereon, the opposite ends of the threads previously engaged by the belts 21 and 36 respectively will be severed by the cutters 54 and of course the ends of the threads will be released by the plies of the belts 36 and 21 so that the severed threads are progressively laid transversely of the gummed surface of the sheet material 44 which is continuously advanced.

It was previously mentioned that the forward sheave 19 for the primary pressure belt 21 is mounted on a suitably supported shaft 18 and that said shaft also carries a sprocket 20 engaged by the previously mentioned endless chain 16 which drives the sprocket 15 and belt sheave 14, openings in said chain 16 also serving as a guide or grommet for the threads or filaments extended from the spools 23 between the plies of the primary pressure belt 21. For the sake of clarity and not to obscure other parts, said chain 16 has been omitted from the schematic view, FIG. 4. Any means may be employed for driving the shaft 18 and it may be convenient to provide an end portion of said shaft 18 with a sprocket 46 engaged by a chain 47 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) which extends to a source of power (not shown).

When the machine is in continuous operation it is, of course, obvious that there will be a continuous extent of threads or filaments stretched between the upper flights of the outwardly diverging primary and traverse bi-layercd belts 21 and 36, respectively. In order to illustrate stages of the travel of the threads as engaged by the belts, it has been deemed more desirable, for purpose of illus tration, to merely show segregated groups of engaged threads or filaments, by which means their travel and the relationship of the belts thereto can best be understood.

Of course, when the machine is to be initially set into operation the group of threads from the spools 23 have their free ends threaded in spaced relation through apertured portions of separated links in the upper flight of the chain 16 and through the plies on the upper flight of the primary pressure belt 21 at the inner end of said belt and before it reaches the pressure member 24. The group of threads or filaments designated a in FIG. 4 of the drawing shows the relationship of said threads to the upper flight of the primary belt 21 after the free ends of said threads have been threaded between the plies of said belt and after the belt has advanced into juxtaposition with the elongated pressure member 24. The belt 21, traveling in a clockwise direction relative to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 will then carry the engaged threads along the extent of the upper flight of the belt and along the lower flight of the belt and at this point the advanced group of hreads are indicated by the designations b and c, it being observed that the free ends of the filaments or threads project beyond the inner margin of the lower flight of the belt 21 and the threads are held in clamped, spaced relation between the plies of the primary belt by the pressure member 24'.

From FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 it will be observed that the upper flight of the primary belt 21, immediately after leaving the sheave 14, is crossed by the inner end portion of the single ply of the traverse belt 36. Adjacent this point the primary belt 21 is free of the pressure member 24, so the tails of the threads are trapped between the traverse belt 36 and the primary belt 21 and adjacent the sheave 26 the tails of said threads designated 1 in FIG. 4 are clamped in slightly projected position between the plies 36' and 36" of the traverse belt 36 inasmuch as the belt ply 36 extends around the sheave 26 to be in underlying relation to the ply 36". It should also be stated that the pressure member 37 for the belt 36 is designed to exert greater clamping pressure on its belt and hence on the engaged threads than that exerted by the pressure member 24 along the upper flight of the primary belt 21. Consequently. the threads are slidably drawn between the belts and are also extended from the spools 23 via the openings or grommets in the chain 16.

Because the belts 36 and 21 are outwardly diverging, the gap between said belts, spanned by the advancing threads, is continuously widened and the threads thus engaged are held tautly in parallel spaced-apart relation, transverse to the surface on which they are to be ultimately deposited in the embodiment illustrated. The advanced groups of threads engaged by both belts and in advancing relationship are designated at e and f respectively in FIG. 4. An ultra advanced grouping of threads is indicated at g and immediately thereafter, said threads are laid tautly on the gummed surface of the advancing sheet material 49 and their opposite ends are severed by the cutters 54 and are released from the belts 36 and 21 as the belts pass around their sheaves. The result is that there is continuously laid upon the adhesive coated top surface of the continuously moving sheet material 40 a series of parallel threads or filaments as shown in FIG. 4. Ultimately the sheet material thus reinforced can be cut into rolls or strips of reinforced gummed tape or other sheet material of which FIG. 6 is a fragmentary showing. After the inner ends of the successive threads reaching the sheet material are severed by the cutters 54, said threads, as indicated by the reference character 71, are advanced along the lower flight of the primary belt 21 with dangling or projecting tails t which ultimately reach the junction of the upper flight of the primary elt 21 and the ply 3s" of the traverse belt, with the result that the procedure described in connection with the various groups of threads or filaments constantly repeats.

The threads engaged by the lower flight of the belt 21 are draped over a supporting rod 100 which prevents undue sag.

In the embodiment illustrated and described it is, of course, necessary that the primary belt 21 and the traverse belt 36 be driven at the same speed. Also in the arrangement shown the threads or filaments will be laid onto the sheet material 40 at right angles to the longitudinal path of travel of said sheet material. A change in the angularity of the deposited filaments could, if desired, be effected by rotating the machine base and the parts carried thereby in its plane through a desired angle. It is contemplated that two of the assemblages illustrated may be used in side by side relationship if it is desired to produce a continuous web in the form of a mesh or net work. In such case the tandem machines would bring the threads in from separate spools or creels on opposite sides, with both machines operating at the same speed.

In its broader aspect, the machine of the present invention is intended to form a Webbing or the like from suitable filaments or threads. Such webs, besides being used for the reinforcement of paper or sheet material, can be for purposes of decoration or as an intermediate step in a production procedure. Through the webbing produced, various types of netting or meshwork may be fabricated for various purposes.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved apparatus for and method of forming filament webs is simple, novel, expeditious, commercially practical, and Well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. Apparatus for extending a plurality of threads from a creel, comprising a bi-layered traveling, endless, primary pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and between whose layers portions of the threads are transversely laced in spaced-apart relation with dangling outer end portions, a bi-layered, traveling, endless traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and having its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary pressure belt and forming an outwardly diverging angle relative thereto, and means during the cycle of travel of the primary belt for engaging the dangling ends of the threads with the traveling traverse belt at the point of junction of the belts to further extend the threads by pulling portions of the same through the layers of the primary belt during outward diverging travel of the traverse belt.

2. Apparatus for extending a plurality of threads from a creel and forming the same into a pattern, comprising a bi-layered, endless, primary pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and between Whose layers portions of the threads are transversely laced in spaced-apart relation with dangling outer end portions, a bi-layered, endless traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and having its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary pressure belt and forming an outwardly diverging angle relative thereto, means for driving said belts at the same speed with portions thereof traveling outwardly in diverging directions, and cooperating means on the belts effective at their point of junction and at the apex of the angle formed by said belts for transferring the dangling ends of the threads engaged by the primary belt to the traveling traverse belt to further extend the threads by pulling the same through the layers of the primary belt during outward diverging travel of portions of both belts.

3. Apparatus for extending a plurality of threads from a creel and forming the same into a pattern, comprising a bi-layered, endless, primary pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and between whose layers portions of the threads are transversely laced in spaced-apart relation with dangling outer end portions, a bi-layered, endless traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and having its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary pressure belt and forming an outwardly diverging angle relative thereto, means for driving said belts at the same speed with portions thereof traveling outwardly in diverging directions, cooperating means on the belts efiective at their point of junction and at the apex of the angle formed by said belts for transferring the dangling ends of the threads engaged by the primary belt to the traveling traverse belt to further extend the threads by pulling the same through the layers of the primary belt during outward diverging travel of portions of both belts, and means adjacent the outer extremity of the primary belt for severing intermediate portions of the threads therefrom, the ends of the threads also being released from the outer extremity of the traverse belt.

4. In a filament fabricating apparatus, a primary traveling pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and also having means for clampingly engaging the dangling ends of a plurality of threads extended from a source, and a traveling traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities with its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary pressure belt at an outwardly diverging angle, said traverse pressure belt, adjacent the point of junction with the primary belt, having means for clampingly engaging the dangling ends of the threads engaged by the primary belt and pulling the same laterally and in progressively extended condition as the advancing portion of the traveling traverse belt diverges outwardly relative to the primary belt.

5. Apparatus for extending a plurality of threads from a creel and forming the same into a pattern, comprising a bi-layered, endless, primary pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and between whose layers portions of the threads are transversely laced in spaced-apart relation with dangling outer end portions, a bi-layered, endless traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and having its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary pressure belt and forming an outwardly diverging angle relative thereto, means for driving said belts to cause portions thereof to travel outwardly in diverging directions, cooperating portions on the belts effective at their point of junction at the apex of the angle formed by said belts for transferring the dangling ends of the threads engaged by the primary belt to the traveling traverse belt to further extend the threads by pulling the same through the layers of the primary belt during outward diverging travel of portions of both belts, means adjacent the diverged outer extremities of the belts and extending outwardly therefrom for advancing sheet material, and means adjacent the outer end of the primary belt for severing intermediate portions of the threads therefrom, the ends of the threads also being released from the outer extremity of the traverse belt whereby the extents of threads released from the outer end portions of the belts are successively deposited on a surface of the advancing sheet material at an angle to its direction of travel.

6, Apparatus for extending a plurality of threads from a creel and depositing sections of the same onto traveling sheet material in a predetermined arrangement, comprising a bi-layered, endless, primary pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and between Whose layers portions of the threads are transversely laced in spaced-apart relation with dangling outer end portions, pressure members engaging certain extents of the primary belt, a bilayered, endless traverse pressure belt having inner and outer extremities and having its inner extremity crossing the inner extremity of the primary belt and forming an outwardly diverging angle relative thereto, a pressure member engaging a certain extent of a bi-layered portion of the traverse belt, means for driving said belts at the same speed with portions thereof traveling outwardly in diverging directions, one layer of the traverse belt being removed from the other layer thereof adjacent the point of junction of the inner extremities of the two belts whereby the dangling ends of the threads engaged by the primary belt are deposited on one layer of the traverse belt and then brought into interposition between the two layers of said belt, outward travel of the traverse belt serving to further extend the threads by pulling the same through the layers of the primary belt, means adjacent the diverged end portions of the belts and extending outwardly therefrom for advancing sheet material, and a cutter adjacent the outer end of the primary belt for severing intermediate portions of the threads therefrom, the ends of the threads also being released from the outer extremity of the traverse belt whereby the extents of threads released from the outer end portions of the belts are successively deposited on a surface of the advancing sheet material at an angle to its direction of travel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Meahl Dec. 4, Wandel Feb. 15, Morton H May 7, Chapman Feb. 25, Gray Oct. 17, Saum et a1 Sept. 10, Sellers Feb. 24, Pirot Aug. 11, Havernann Oct. 4, Friedel Feb. 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 16, 

1. APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING A PLURALITY OF THREADS FROM A CREEL, COMPRISING A BI-LAYERED TRAVELING, ENDLESS, PRIMARY PRESSURE BELT HAVING INNER AND OUTER EXTREMITIES AND BETWEEN WHOSE LAYERS PORTIONS OF THE THREADS ARE TRANSVERSELY LACED IN SPACED-APART RELATION WITH DANGLING OUTER END PORTIONS, A BI-LAYERED, TRAVELING, ENDLESS TRAVERSE PRESSURE BELT HAVING INNER AND OUTER EXTREMITIES AND HAVING ITS INNER EXTREMITY CROSSING THE INNER EXTREMITY OF THE PRIMARY PRESSURE BELT AND FORMING AN OUTWARDLY DIVERGING ANGLE RELATIVE THERETO, AND MEANS DURING THE CYCLE OF TRAVEL OF THE PRIMARY BELT FOR ENGAGING THE DANGLING ENDS OF THE THREADS WITH THE TRAVELING TRAVERSE BELT AT THE POINT OF JUNCTION OF THE BELTS TO FURTHER EXTEND THE THREADS BY PULLING PORTIONS OF THE SAME THROUGH THE LAYERS OF THE PRIMARY BELT DURING OUTWARD DIVERGING TRAVEL OF THE TRAVERSE BELT. 